WhatsApp beta for Android brings fingerprint locking feature

Damien Wilde | Aug 13 2019 - 5:06 am PT

Having biometric unlocking on your device is a necessary security inclusion that ensures that valuable data on your phone stays secure. The latest WhatsApp beta for Android increases your device security by adding the much-anticipated fingerprint locking — which is available starting today.

Despite the fact that a Dark Mode is probably a little more requested, the fingerprint unlocking has been in the pipeline for some time — it even made it to iPhones in a previous beta update.

Spotted by WABetaInfo, the new app authentication method is available if you update WhatsApp to the 2.19.221 Android beta version. It shows in the app settings as Fingerprint lock and should be rolling out now if you are already enrolled in the beta program.

Once you’ve configured the Fingerprint lock in your updated version of WhatsApp, it’s worth noting that you will still have the ability to read messages on the lockscreen and notification shade. You’ll even be able to use the Android quick reply to respond to messages and chats. Therefore the Fingerprint lock only applies when you want to open the app.

If you would rather not have to constantly touch your fingerprint scanner or reader every single time you want to read a WhatsApp message, you can set the auto-lock to activate to after one minute or thirty minutes. We do hope more time options come in the future, as this isn’t exactly extensive.

Some people may not see the feature after updating, which may require a clearing of the app cache and maybe even a reinstall of WhatsApp. It’s definitely worth backing up your chats to ensure that you don’t lose any valuable messages and data. If it continues to not become available, and your device meets the minimum requirements, then it may take a while to activate.